1850 American Gold Tycoon.

Chapter 260 Oregon's Golden Land

Eugene, the third largest city in Oregon in later generations, was still a little-known small village at this time.

The terrain of the later Oregon region is somewhat similar to that of California, with the coastal mountains on the west coast and the towering karst mountains in the east.

In the middle of the Coastal Mountains and the Custer Mountains is a valley that is relatively livable and suitable for the development of agriculture.This valley is called the Willamette Valley, and the Willamette Valley, like California's Central Valley, runs north-south.

Eugene Village is the southern starting point of this valley in Oregon. This valley extends from the Eugene Village area in the south to Portland in the north. It is about 200 kilometers long from north to south and about 50 kilometers wide from east to west.

This valley is called the Willamette River Valley, and most of the population of later generations of Oregon is concentrated in this valley of more than [-] square kilometers.

It can be said that the Willamette Valley is the rich land of Oregon.

Eugene, Salem, and Portland, the top three cities in later generations of Oregon, are all located in the Willamette Valley.

Although the Willamette Valley in Oregon is relatively small compared to the Central Valley in California, it has an advantage that the Central Valley in California does not have.

The Willamette River, which flows through the Willamette Valley, is the most important tributary of the Columbia River. The Willamette River flows from south to north, and finally joins the Columbia River in the Portland area.

The Willamette River flows in the same direction as the valley, and the runoff is sufficient, so most of the Willamette Valley does not have to worry about water for agriculture.

Although California's Central Valley runs north-south, the rivers in the valley basically run east-west, and the cost of building water conservancy is relatively high.

While Deng Yan led the main force of the California Infantry to suppress bandits in the Columbia River Valley, Liang Yaozheng and the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, the Chinese representative of the Oregon Reclamation Corps, Sacramento Mayor Sutter, and Eugene Village Mayor Thomas Explore the Willamette Valley.

"The land here is fertile, the water source is abundant, and the terrain is flat. It's really a good place for reclamation."

Looking at the endless and wild Willamette Valley, Wu Yuanhua couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

I thought to myself that there are too many flat and large fertile lands in the United States. These places on the west coast are already considered rugged places in the United States, but there are still many flat lands suitable for farming.

And many of these fertile flat lands are still uncultivated virgin land, which makes Wu Yuanhua feel a little wasteful. It's a pity not to use such good land for farming.

"The section of the Willamette River north of Eugene Village is navigable, but currently Eugene Village only has a small shipyard, and only small wooden boats can be built."

On a small schooner with a load of only over [-] tons, Thomas said to Liang Yao.

"Not to mention Eugene Village, even Portland can only manufacture small sailboats of more than [-] tons, and limited by the wind, sailboats are not as convenient as steamboats. I visited your shipyard in San Francisco last year. Your shipbuilding The loach-class steamship built by the factory is very suitable for inland waterway navigation.

I would like to purchase some loach-class steamships from you, but my financial resources are limited, and I hope to obtain some loans from the Bank of America. Of course, I can use my land and forest farm in Eugene Village as collateral. "

Most of the existing settlements in the Oregon region are built along rivers, and inland waterway transportation is the main mode of transportation to communicate with these settlements.

Thomas has a good vision and sees the business opportunities contained in it.

A loach-class steamship of more than five or six hundred tons is a bit small for a sea-going ship, but if it is used as an inland waterway ship, it will be an out-and-out big ship.

If Thomas had purchased a ship from San Francisco, the ship would have to pass through Portland, where the Columbia and Willamette rivers meet, to travel along the Willamette River to the village of Eugene.

As for Portland, the largest stronghold of white people in the Oregon region and the residence of the Governor of the Oregon Territory, Liang Yao is currently unable to control Portland.

"I can personally give you a brand new loach-class steamship as a gift." Liang Yao said to Thomas with a smile.

"There is a great demand for ships in the Oregon area. As the saying goes, it is better to buy than to build. Why don't we directly establish a shipyard in Eugene Village that can produce small steamships."

"Open the shipyard directly?" Thomas' eyes widened, he couldn't keep up with Liang Yao's train of thought.

"Yes, directly open a shipyard. This will not only directly solve the shortage of ships in the Oregon area, but also the people in Eugene Village can work in the shipyard, and the wood produced by the local timber factory can also be digested locally," Liang Yao said. .

The Eugene Village area has a ready supply of fine boat lumber which was also intended for the California shipyards in San Francisco.

The renewed demand for inland waterway vessels in the Oregon region at least ensures that opening small shipyards here will be profitable.

After digesting the shipbuilding technology of paddle steamers, Liang Yao has now shifted the focus of shipbuilding to dark steamers.

In his eyes, the paddle steamer is a bit outdated, and it is not unacceptable to transfer a small part of production capacity to Eugene Village.

Furthermore, after the Oregon Reclamation Group settled in the Willamette Valley, they also needed convenient means of transportation, and the demand for inland watercraft would only increase.

Of course, the most important thing is that you can use the shipyard to firmly bind the interests of the dignitaries in Eugene Village to yourself, so as not to hinder your reclamation work.

"Then how do you count the shares?" Upon hearing about the establishment of a joint venture factory, Sartre, who accompanied Liang Yao on an inspection trip to the Oregon area, immediately became energetic. He was very interested in setting up a factory, especially Liang Yao's.

Sartre hasn't lost any money since he started the factory with this kid.

His sawmill in Sacramento has become his cash cow. Last month, the sawmill introduced a wood bending machine from Liang Yao, which can directly produce handles for agricultural tools, adding another way to make money.

"American Group 40%, Oregon Colony 30%, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Sutter 15% each." Liang Yao said, looking at the calm Willamita River with his hands behind his back.

The core technology of the shipyard was provided by Liang Yao, and Liang Yao's shares accounted for the majority, and no one had any objections.

The representatives of the Oregon Reclamation Group were originally composed of Chinese businessmen who only looked forward to the leader. Thomas was just a small village head, and his 15% stake in the shipyard was already a big pie from the sky for him.

As for Sutter, less shares means less, but he has now considered moving two wood bending machines directly from the sawmill, and directly opening a timber factory in Eugene Village to provide timber for the shipyard and agricultural tools for the Oregon Reclamation Group. Timber is gone.

"A rich man like you is thicker than my waist when you pluck out the roots. It is my honor to cooperate with you to set up a factory!"

Thomas immediately expressed his attitude to Liang Yao.

In the past, Thomas was very envious of Sartre's cooperation with Liang Yao to earn a lot of money. He jumped from a farmer to one of the few richest people on the west coast, and he was also the mayor of a big city.

Looking at myself now, the starting point was similar to that of Sartre, but now the status and wealth of the two can be said to be going up and down day by day.

Liang Yao took the initiative to offer an olive branch of cooperation to Thomas, which was something Thomas dreamed of.

As for the territorial governor Leonardo in Portland, Oregon, Thomas didn't like it at all.

Working with those poor bastards in Portland is not as promising as following the rich guys in California.

Furthermore, the villagers of Thomas and Eugene Village have accumulated a lot of resentment towards Portland.

In the middle of the 19th century, the tax system of the United States was very chaotic. Territories that did not even have a sound administrative system, the tax system was even more chaotic, and it was not even a tax system, which was similar in nature to protection fees.

The biggest use of taxes in the quasi-state is to support the armed forces in the territory and provide protection for small settlements like Eugene Village.

In the past few years, Portland has obviously failed to fulfill its obligations after receiving money.

The former governor of the territory, Burnett and the current governor, Leonardo, were very active in killing the Indians, but they were not active in asking them to send troops to protect Eugene Village, because Eugene Village was very poor in the past, and Portland was unwilling to send people to Eugene Village. gold.

Thomas also knew that much of the money they handed over fell into the pockets of the governor of the territory.

Otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why Bernat had the money to form an armed force of more than [-] people after he became the governor of the territory for just over two years.

After the economy of California, which Eugene Village relied on, gradually improved, Portland offered to send troops to protect them.

But at this time Thomas did not want Portland to send armed men to his village.

Because when these people came, Eugene Village would have to bleed profusely.

Portland's armed forces have no patience to protect them, but they have a lot of patience to ask for money.

"Very well, the 500 immigrants from the first phase of the Oregon Reclamation Group have settled in Eugene Village. I hope that Eugene Village can elect a representative of the Oregon Reclamation Group as the deputy village head." Liang Yao said lightly.

"Of course, Eugene Village should have a representative belonging to the reclamation group."

Thomas agreed, and soon, Thomas saw a group of Indians appearing on the banks of the Willamita River, the number of which was at least a thousand.

This made Thomas' nerves tense up, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans oozed out from his forehead instantly. Thomas subconsciously pulled out the pistol at his waist and shouted.

"Indians."

"This is my man, Chief Thomas, the conflict between the Indians and Eugene Village is over in the future, understand?"

Liang Yao picked up the binoculars, and saw that Deng Yan led soldiers from the California Infantry Regiment, escorting more than a hundred prisoners, waiting for Liang Yao here.

Prior to this, Deng Yan had dispatched communications troops to report victory to Liang Yao. The operation was very successful, and all 355 of Bernat's armed forces were wiped out.

Those who survived by luck became their captives, and no one escaped.

"Huh?" Thomas nodded in confusion.

"These guys should have sent them to hell." Sutter put down the binoculars in his hand and said angrily.

Because of Burnett's extermination of Indians in Oregon, the Indians also launched a retaliatory counterattack.

Sartre, who was not involved in the conflict, also suffered heavy losses. His caravan to the Oregon area was also robbed several times, and many employees died.

In the end, Sutter had to send his Indian employees and Chinese employees to take the Oregon trade route to minimize the loss.

Sartre also felt that it was a happy thing to be able to solve the cancer of Bernat.

(End of this chapter)